Transport Corridor Competition: Kazakhstan and European Partners Announce $462 Million in "Middle Corridor" Agreements in Brussels
On June 22, Kazakhstan unveiled four transport agreements worth a total of $462 million with its European partners, marking substantial achievements in Eurasian connectivity following President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s visit to Belgium. The agreements were announced during a business conference titled “Strengthening EU-Kazakhstan Connectivity: Prospects and Strategic Potential of the 'Middle Corridor'.”
The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (also known as the "Middle Corridor") is a multimodal corridor connecting China and Europe via Central Asia and the South Caucasus, offering an alternative to transportation routes through Russia.
The event was hosted by Kazakhstan’s national railway operator, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), bringing together representatives from the European Commission, the European Parliament, international financial institutions, and major European transport and logistics companies, including DHL Global Forwarding, Alstom, DB Cargo, HHLA International, Rhenus Logistics, Hellmann Worldwide Logistics, Ahlers Logistics, and A.P. Moller-Maersk.
The conference focused on strategic development priorities for the "Middle Corridor," including increasing capacity along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, modernizing rail and port infrastructure, advancing digitalization of logistics processes, and building sustainable supply chains across Eurasia.
These four agreements form a $462 million cooperation package aimed at strengthening transport connectivity between Europe and Asia and further developing the Trans-Caspian transport route.
The Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan signed a memorandum of cooperation with SITA, a global provider of information and telecommunications solutions for the aviation industry, on national airport digitalization—including the application of biometric technologies.
Kazakhstan’s national highway operator QazAvtoZhol signed a loan agreement with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) for the Aktobe-Ulgaisyn highway project. This project covers a 234-kilometer section of the "Western Europe–China Western" corridor, aiming to improve regional and transit connectivity.
A subsidiary of Kazakhstan National Railways, KTZ Express, signed an agreement with Midia Marine Terminal to launch a joint project at the Port of Midia in Romania. The initiative aims to expand Black Sea shipping infrastructure and enhance cargo handling efficiency.
Additionally, KTZ Express (Kazakhstan National Railway Express Company) reached an agreement with A.P. Moller-Maersk to cooperate on container transport along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route and to work toward attracting more freight volumes to this route.
Arman Issetov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, emphasized during the meeting that the route has long surpassed the scope of a traditional transit corridor and is increasingly becoming a major geo-economic project serving shared interests between Central Asia and Europe.
He stated that amid shifting global supply chain dynamics and rising demand for reliable and diversified transport routes, Kazakhstan consistently advocates for open, resilient, and mutually beneficial connectivity between East and West.
The conference particularly highlighted the complementary nature between the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route and the EU’s “Global Gateway” initiative. Under this strategic framework, the Trans-Caspian corridor has emerged as a key project for enhancing sustainable connectivity between Europe and Asia, with Kazakhstan playing a central role as a major transport hub in Eurasia.
On June 3, during the third national seminar of the “Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor Coordination Platform” held in Astana, EU Ambassador to Kazakhstan Aleška Simkić said: “Through a €30 million Trans-Caspian Transport Support Program and other projects, the EU is committed to supporting the modernization of facilities at the Port of Aktau, preparing preliminary groundwork for the comprehensive upgrade of the Beyneu-Sekseul road, and advancing coordination and digitization of cross-border customs procedures.”
In recent years, freight volumes along the Trans-Caspian corridor have increased by over 3.5 times; thanks to infrastructure upgrades and optimized logistics processes, transit times between China and Europe have been significantly reduced.
According to data from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, the EU has remained Kazakhstan’s largest trading and investment partner. In 2025, bilateral trade reached $45.1 billion, while cumulative foreign direct investment inflows from EU member states exceeded $200 billion.
Source: Central Asia Times
Author: Sergey Kwan
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1868931639374857/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.